VATICAN CITY (RNS) She is revered both by radical feminists and by Pope Benedict XVI, who has often turned to her in the most difficult moments of his pontificate: Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th-century German prophetess who was officially declared a saint by Benedict on Thursday. By Alessandro Speciale.

Alessandro Speciale

Alessandro Speciale has been covering the Vatican since 2007 and wrote for Religion News Service from 2011-2013. Born in Rome, he studied literature at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, and journalism at City University, London. He has appeared as an expert on Vatican affairs on CNN, BBC World and Al Jazeera English.